The Aizawl deputy commissioner’s office, a colonial era heritage structure in Mizoram’s capital city, was destroyed in a fire that broke out around 3.15am on Friday.

A Mizoram government statement said the 131-year-old heritage building was reduced to a rubble, taking with it hundreds of ihistorical documents.

Disaster management and rehabilitation minister Lalchamliana said the government would conduct an inquiry to ascertain the causes of the blaze, but preliminary probe suggests that the fire started from the election branch located in the DC office.

Aizawl DC Lalhriatzuali Ralte told The Telegraph that about 80 per cent of the heritage structure was lost in the fire, affecting at least seven branches functioning under the DC’s office located on a hillock.